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I Bet on Sky Image
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 21 Ratings

  • Summary: The tenth studio album for the alternative rock band is its third since reuniting in 2005.
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Top Track

Watch the Corners
Every morning came I don't like that you can hide in We expect the same but I've no one to confide in and I want you to be with us and in time... See the rest of the song lyrics
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 33
  2. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. Sep 28, 2012
    90
    I Bet on Sky is the sound of a great, influential band that, yes, picked up where they left off, but instead of luxuriating in the sentimental hue of the moment, got back to work and kept moving forward.
  2. Sep 17, 2012
    80
    As always with Dinosaur Jr., underneath all that sound lie some sturdy bones, songs constructed with expert, unassuming craftsmanship and a sly wit, but it's the variety and adventure that makes I Bet On Sky something more than another excellent Dinosaur record.
  3. Oct 1, 2012
    80
    The way all the pieces fit on I Bet on Sky gives you the idea that they're doing more than just letting bygones be bygones, but actually learning to appreciate one another in a way that allows them to play off each others' strengths.
  4. Sep 12, 2012
    75
    [A] terrific, visceral album.
  5. Sep 18, 2012
    70
    I Bet on Sky isn't the immediate winner that Farm was, but it's emphasis on tunefulness versus smack-you-in-the-face noise makes for a surprising winner and a pleasant late career left turn that gets better with each listen.
  6. Sep 11, 2012
    70
    [I Bet On Sky] is arguably the equal of their 80s heyday.
  7. Q Magazine
    Sep 6, 2012
    40
    The mid-paced mellowness is too omnipresent and stifling. [Oct 2012, p.97]

See all 33 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. j30
    Oct 4, 2012
    9
    The resurrection of Dinosaur Jr.'s original line-up has been a Godsend, first with the solid "Beyond" and then with the near great "Farm" andThe resurrection of Dinosaur Jr.'s original line-up has been a Godsend, first with the solid "Beyond" and then with the near great "Farm" and now with their most accessible album "I Bet On Sky". Once a band torn by internal issues with Lou Barlow and J Mascis, now sound like their making up for lost time. Expand
  2. Sep 24, 2012
    8
    Let me start by saying I did not enjoy this album as much as their last effort "Farm". Now, that's not to say this album is bad because FarmLet me start by saying I did not enjoy this album as much as their last effort "Farm". Now, that's not to say this album is bad because Farm is an incredible album. If that album was an ocean of fuzz with waves of blistering solos, "I Bet on Sky" is a pool party. Much more upbeat, straight forward, and the solos mostly come in tidy little breaks. Some of the turns this album makes are hard to expect and admittedly hard to initially get used to. The Barlow songs on this one aren't as catchy to me as previous albums. J's singing is improving it would seem. I've always enjoyed his voice, but now it's stronger and more confident. No longer does it sound as if he's mocking himself with every syllable. The album ends on a fantastic note with "See It On Your Side". If any song on the album is classic Dinosaur Jr. it's this one. A bit melancholy, but not lacking that signature J Mascis intense solo we've come to love and expect.

    This album might not be your favorite, but if you're a Dinosaur Jr fan, you'll enjoy it. Once again J, Murph, and Barlow show that a reunion can produce music on par (and sometimes surpassing) their initial legacy.
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